Shane Gerlach

PROCESSIONAL-

INVOCATION

Welcome, family and loved ones. We are gathered here today, surrounded by family and friends to celebrate the joining of Brandi and Mason in marriage.

Who gives the bride in marriage? (WE DO)

Does she come with her family blessing? (YES SHE DOES)

Today is a celebration. A celebration of love, of commitment, of friendship, of family and of two people who are in it for forever. Brandi knew this love was forever when Mason was in an accident on a skiing trip and was hospitalized. She realized at that time that she didn’t want a world without Mason in it. Mason knew Brandi was the one from the very first moment because everything about her was perfect…obviously.

You don’t have to have a ceremony to have a marriage. And when you stop and think about it, this whole thing is kind of weird, right? You’re standing in front of everyone, looking fancy, holding flowers and being stared at by so many of those who you hold near and dear. So why do we do it? The marriage ceremony has been an important feature across nearly every culture, religion, generation and society. We have thousands of important moments that happen throughout our lives, but this one is regarded as one so critical that we acknowledge its special status by sharing it with others. Why this moment?

Because despite all our differences, love is what we all share. It’s the great unifier-our one universal truth. No matter who we are, where we’ve come from, what we believe, we know this one thing: love is what we’re doing right. Brandi knows this is right because of Mason’s deep capability for love and his ability to see the good in people. Mason knows this is right because Brandi counters his reserved personality with her spunky outgoing personality…obviously.

That’s why you are here to watch them stand up here. We have ALL love in our lifetimes and in this moment, we’re reminded that the ability to love is the single best part of our humanity.

All of us here today have our own love stories. Some are short, others long. Some are yet unwritten, while others are just getting to the good part. There are chapters in all of our stories that are sad or disappointing-and others that are exciting and full of adventures.

That is what brings Brandi and Mason here. A time to pause, look back and smile at all the moments that brought them here. And a time to look ahead to all the moments that are still to come, like combining debt and doing the dishes when you get home.

I’m here-we’re all here-because we want those moment for you. We’re here to hope with you, support you, be proud of you and to remind you that love isn’t happily ever after…love the total experience of writing your story. It’s not one moment-not even this moment-it’s every moment. Big ones like saying ‘I love you’, moving in together, getting engaged…but mostly it’s a million little ones that come in between the big moments. Falling asleep next to one another, binge watching Netflix shows, fitting into cosplay costumes, trying a new beer, saying yes when you want to say no…these are the moments you fuse together into the moment known as a lifetime.

You fell in love by chance, but you’re here today because you are making a choice. You both are choosing each other. You’ve chosen to be with someone who enhances you, who makes you think, make you smile and makes every single day brighter. You’re about to make promises to each other you intend to keep. You’re going to vow to take care of each other, stand up for one another and find happiness in the other. There’s a simple premise to each of these promises: You’re vowing to be there. You’re teaming up and saying to the other “Every experience I am going to have, I want you to be a part of.”

DECLARATION OF INTENT

Brandi and Mason, please join hands, look at one another now and remember this moment in time.

Will you Brandi, keep Mason as your favorite person-to laugh with him, go on adventures with him, support him through life’s tough moments, be proud of him, grow old with him, and find new reasons to love him every day?

I WILL

Will you Mason, keep Brandi as your favorite person- to laugh with her, go on adventures with her, support her through life’s tough moments, be proud of her, grown old with her and find new reason’s to love her every day?

I WILL

Will you, Brandi and Mason, be each other’s partners from this day forward? Will you bring out the best in one another, share your happiest moments together and love each other absolutely for the rest of his lifetime and for whatever may come next?

WE WILL

RING EXCHANGE

You’ve both chosen to wear rings as a reminder of these promises. People often say wedding bands are perfect circles, with no beginning and no end. But these rings did have a beginning. The stones were formed a long time ago, deep within the earth.

Eventually, a series of lucky events caused them to rise to the surface, where someone dug them up. Metal was then liquified in a furnace-molded, cooled and painstakingly polished. Something beautiful was made from raw elements.

Love is like that, it comes from humble beginnings, and through a combination of luck and effort, imperfect beings shape it into something extraordinary. It’s the process of making something beautiful where there once was nothing at all. As you look at these rings over the years, I hope you remember that. You two have created something invaluable, and just as I know you’ll protect these rings, I’m confident you’ll protect the commitments you’ve made to one another today.

Mason, as you place this ring on Brandi’s finger, repeat these words after me:

This ring symbolizes my love for you and the commitments we made today.

Brandi, as you place this ring on Mason’s finger, repeat these words after me.

This ring symbolizes my love for you and the commitments we made today.

PRONOUNCEMENT

Brandi and Mason, you have come here today of your own free will and in the presence of family and loved ones, have declared your love and commitment to each other. You have given and received rings as a symbol of your promises. By the power of your love and commitment to each other, and by the power vested in me by the State of South Dakota and American Marriage Ministries, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now seal your vows with a kiss…obviously.

Congratulations. Family and loved ones, I now present to you the newly married couple, Mr. and Mrs. Mason and Brandi Ford.

RECESSIONAL